Michael Scotto of HoopsHype recently dropped intel from around the NBA and revealed that the Charlotte Hornets and Sacramento Kings engaged in trade talks over Domantas Sabonis. The asking price was arguably reasonable for a player with his accolades and talent, but the Hornets quietly taught the Los Angeles Lakers an important lesson.
Though adding talent is a big part of winning in the NBA, teams that sacrifice fit for the appeal of raw ability are trending in the wrong direction.
Charltote reportedly walked away from the negotiating table, which is exactly what Los Angeles must do if it finds itself in a similar position. The Hornets' objection was reportedly that the Kings wanted draft compensation.
Per Scotto, one potential trade proposal appeared to center around Sabonis going to Charlotte for Miles Bridges, Josh Green, and a first-round pick.
"One framework loosely kicked around included Charlotte’s Miles Bridges, Josh Green, and a potential first-round draft pick going to Sacramento in exchange for Sabonis, sources said. Charlotte has two first-round selections in the upcoming draft, including the 14th and 18th picks. However, Charlotte has been resistant to including one of those first-round picks thus far in a trade package involving Sabonis."
Though that may not be a jaw-dropping asking price for a two-time All-NBA honoree in their prime, it's imperative that the Lakers remember the importance of fit and avoid players like Sabonis at all costs.
Lakers need a perfect fit, not just a talented center
Sabonis is a fine player who ranks among the best passers, screen setters, and rebounders in the NBA. He's also a productive scoring threat who helped the Kings end a 17-year postseason drought. As such, there's reason to believe he could help the Lakers win games.
Though that may actually be the case, the Lakers don't necessarily need an offensive force at center. What they need is an interior anchor on defense.
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves play high-volume roles that often see them dribble enough to turn a traditionalist's patience to putty. Though there's certainly room for players who can help the ball move more freely, the Lakers proved as the season progressed that they're willing and able to move the ball more than they may have early on.
What the Lakers struggled to do, however, was figure out how to resolve the issues they experienced on the defensive end of the floor—particularly in the paint, where offensively-inclined center Deandre Ayton lacked two-way consistency.
By going after a player like Sabonis, the Lakers would simply be repeating past mistakes. They'd be acquiring an offensive player in hopes of bringing their defensive potential out of them, all the while failing to compensate for the fact that optimism isn't enough to actually get stops.
The Lakers should absolutely express interest in stars who fit their two-way needs, but if they're simply going after big names for the sake of it, they'll derail their own progress.
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